French Quarter business sues Mayor LaToya Cantrell over $73M garbage contract

NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — The fight over trash collection in the French Quarter now involves a lawsuit.

“Anything the residents in the business can do, and that includes putting the signs up, it’s going to be beneficial for us in the French Quarter,” said French Quarter Management District Commissioner Glade Bilby.

Vieux Carre residents and businesses are not backing down as they fight to have IV Waste continue collecting their trash.

“If we look around, it is as clean as it’s ever been. It simply should not change. There’s no reason to change something that is obviously working better than anything I’ve ever seen in the Quarter,” said French Quarter resident Chris Vincent.

It’s gone as far as the owner of Felix’s Restaurant and Oyster Bar and a French Quarter resident filing a lawsuit against Mayor LaToya Cantrell.

Bilby says everyone is staying firm on the position IV Waste should be the contractor long-term.

“Anything that we can do to expedite the process of keeping the experience better and if it includes the IV Waste,” said Bilby.

Henry Consulting is set to take over the job starting Aug. 1.

However, the lawsuit claims that the mayor’s $73 million deal with Henry Consulting was not approved by the council, pointing to a 2022 ordinance. Legal Analyst Cliff Cardone says they have a case.

“Terms of the process and the procedure, it wasn’t adequately and properly followed. The city council never signed off on the contract between Henry Consulting and the city, which means that the contract was never perfected,” said Cardone.

With the Aug. 1 deadline looming, Cardone sees a judgment from the courts soon, but doesn’t see either garbage contractor backing out.

“That’s the whole purpose of injunctions. Those are expedited measures in order to resolve conflict dating problems. So, it is on a fast track right now. And I think in this circumstance, they want to get some clarity and get a court to weigh in on this, to determine who’s right and who’s wrong,” said Cardone.

WGNO reached out to the mayor’s office and was told they could not comment due to pending litigation.

In a statement, IV Waste owner Sidney Torres said:

“The IV Waste Team is overwhelmed with gratitude from all the residents and business support. We work hard every day to give our heart and soul in keeping the French Quarter and our city. It’s not just a job for us it’s our passion and love for our city. We understand that the Henry contract is under suspensive appeal while it works its way through the judicial system. It’s our hope that the mayor and her administration lets the process play out like originally planned when the emergency contract was issued so we can continue until December 23. We will continue to give the best service until whatever day is our last day.”

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